Skip to content
Exam Guides

Canadian PR for the Real World 1st Edition Test Bank

Study smarter, not harder, with Canadian PR for the Real World 1st Edition Test Bank, your one-stop exam preparation resource.

Preview 16 of 101 pages

See the first 16 pages exactly as they appear in the document.

  1. Page 1
    Read page 1 as text

    INSTRUCTOR ’ S MANUAL Kylie McMullan Simon Fraser University Canadian PR for the Real World First Edition Maryse Cardin and Kylie McMullan

  2. Page 2
  3. Page 3
    Read page 3 as text

    CONTENTS Chapter 1 Public Relations in Canada Chapter 2 Influencing Public Opinion: The Foundation of PR Then and Now Chapter 3 Corporate Social Responsibility, Cause PR, and Environmental PR Chapter 4 The Public Relations Plan Chapter 5 Writing for PR Chapter 6 Media Relations Chapter 7 Social Media Chapter 8 Media Training Chapter 9 Internal Communications Chapter 10 Special Events Management Chapter 11 Issues Management and Crisis Communications Chapter 12 Other Areas of PR Specialization

  4. Page 4
    Read page 4 as text

    1 Chapter 1 PUBLIC RELATIONS IN CANADA CHAPTER SYNOPSIS Chapter 1 provides an introduction to public relations and its principles. This chapter defines public relations and introduces the practice of PR in Canada. The chapter also examines the typical day of a PR practitioner and discusses ethics and the laws that affect the practice. The chapter closes with an introduction of how to measure a campaign’s success. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS CHAPTER 1. Explain what public relations means to you and what the job entails. 2. Understand what it means to think strategically in public relations and how to approach a campaign, including the steps of the public relations process. 3. Describe a typical day and the role of a public relations practitioner. 4. Understand the importance of ethics and the law in public relations. 5. Explain why evaluation is an important component of public relations and describe two ways to measure a campaign’s success. CHAPTER OUTLINE 1. Understanding Public Relations – Page 3 Public relations is a growing and dynamic profession and yet there are many misconceptions about what they job actually entails. Media portrayals of the profession, such as Samantha Jones in Sex and the City , make it seem more glamorous than it typically is. There is also confusion about the difference between public relations and advertising. PR is more concentrated around building relationships between an organization and its stakeholders and the use media materials to garner earned media, or coverage that is not purchased. Advertising concentrates more on selling products and typically purchases advertisements or paid media to deliver an organization’s message to an audience. 2. Strategic Thinking and the PR Process – Page 8 One of the most important assets that PR practitioners bring to the table is their ability to apply strategic thinking to a business problem or need. Strategic thinking is the thought process that drives the direction of the PR campaign. A communications formula that helps communicators approach public relations in a methodical and strategic way is the R.A.C.E. formula, which is an acronym for research, analysis, communication, and evaluation. When creating a PR plan, each stage should be given careful consideration. In the analysis section, it is important to define the target audience, define the objectives, draft the key messages, and decide on the tactics. 3. A Typical Day in PR – Page 14 PR is a dynamic, fast paced career choice that spans many different industries and types

  5. Page 5
    Read page 5 as text

    2 of roles. A PR practitioner must be good at multi-tasking, as no two days or even two hours will look the same. In this section, some common PR activities are presented. 4. Ethics and the Law: Guiding Principles of Public Relations – Page 17 Regrettably, the practice of public relations has gained a bad reputation among the public despite the fact that most practitioners have high integrity and ethics. Professional associations such as the Canadian Public Relations Society have developed codes of conduct that provide rules for PR practitioners to follow. In addition to ethical considerations, PR practitioners must also be aware that there are several areas of civil law that also affect the practice. These areas include defamation law, copyright law, and trademark law. PR practitioners must be familiar with how these areas affect their work to avoid unwittingly getting into trouble. 5. Public Relations and Evaluation – Page 27 Evaluation has become a hot topic in public relations, as more and more pressure is put on the profession to prove it is delivering an acceptable return-on-investment (ROI) to organizations. There are many different ways to evaluate the success of a PR plan or execution, depending on what the stated objectives are. These include awareness studies, ad value, PR value, and media impressions. There is also an effort to establish an industry standard for evaluating campaigns. Multiple Choice Questions 1. What is not an activity a PR practitioner might engage in as part of his/her role? A) Blogging on behalf of a retailer B) Media training the CEO of a company before a big announcement C) Organizing a press conference for a hospital during a crisis D) Interviewing different spokespeople for an impartial news story Answer: D (Page 1, Learning Objective #1) 2. The CPRS definition of public relations stresses that it encompasses: A) Marketing B) Advertising C) Relationships D) Press releases Answer: C (Page 4, Learning Objective #1) 3. What is not true about the prospects of the PR industry? A) The number of jobs in PR is expected to grow in the next decade B) PR spending is decreasing C) Advertising spending is decreasing D) Small businesses are increasingly engaging in PR Answer: B (Page 5, Learning Objective #1) 4. An example of earned media is: A) A poster B) An advertisement

  6. Page 6
    Read page 6 as text

    3 C) A news article D) A brochure Answer: C (Page 6, Learning Objective #1) 5. What is not true about earned media? A) It is generated content that was not purchased B) It is guaranteed coverage C) It is more credible than paid media D) It can be one part of an integrated marketing campaign Answer: B (Page 6, Learning Objective #1) 6. What is an example of paid media? A) A news release B) A speech C) A billboard D) A movie review Answer: C (Page 7, Learning Objective #1) 7. Which is not an example of a “P” from the four “P”s of marketing? A) Price B) Promotion C) Place D) Public Relations Answer: D (Page 7, Learning Objective #1) 8. The “R” in the acronym R.A.C.E stands for: A) Research B) Reporting C) Relationships D) Recounting Answer: A (Page 8, Learning Objective #2) 9. The “A” in the acronym R.A.C.E stands for: A) Access B) Analytics C) Analysis D) Assignment Answer: C (Page 8, Learning Objective #2) 10. The “C” in the acronym R.A.C.E stands for: A) Critical B) Communication C) Crisis D) Connections Answer: B (Page 8, Learning Objective #2)

  7. Page 7
    Read page 7 as text

    4 11. The “E” in the acronym R.A.C.E. stands for: A) Evaluation B) Editorials C) Earnings D) Estimate Answer: A (Page 8, Learning Objective #2) 12. Which of the following is not an example of research: A) A survey B) A focus group C) Reading blogs on a topic D) Listing your assumptions Answer: D (Page 9, Learning Objective #2) 13. What are considered the Fab Four of public relations? A) Target audiences, press releases, key messages, relationships B) Target audiences, objectives, key messages, tactics C) Relationships, stakeholders, press releases, research D) Evaluation, objectives, communication, research Answer: B (Page 9, Learning Objective #2) 14. What is not an example of an external audience: A) Customers B) Suppliers C) Employees D) Media Answer: C (Page 10, Learning Objective #2) 15. What is not an example of an internal audience? A) Suppliers B) Employees C) Board members D) Managers Answer: A (Page 10, Learning Objective #2) 16. Which of these is true about a key message? A) Simple is better B) It should not be repeated C) It should include more than one idea D) Longer is better Answer: A (Page 12, Learning Objective #2) 17. What is the rule of thumb regarding the number of key messages per communication piece? A) 5 B) 2

  8. Page 8
    Read page 8 as text

    5 C) 1 D) 3 Answer: D (Page 12, Learning Objective #2) 18. Which of these is not an example of a tactic? A) Creating a website B) Pitching stories to the media C) Writing a communications plan D) Sending a letter to a company’s shareholders Answer: C (Page 13, Learning Objective #2) 19. What is not an example of a term for PR practices that are considered unethical? A) Astroturfing B) Flogging C) Lancing D) Pay-for-play Answer: C (Page 18, Learning Objective #4) 20. In defamation law it is true that: A) The speaker’s intention isn’t relevant B) Public relations practitioners can’t be sued for defamation C) The law only covers printed statements D) The law only covers oral statements Answer: A (Page 20, Learning Objective #4) 21. Which is not an example of ways to measure the ROI on a PR campaign? A) Media Relations Rating Points B) Ad value C) Relationship rating index D) PR value Answer: D (Page 29, Learning Objective #5) SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS 1. Explain how you would use the RACE formula in practice when planning a PR campaign. Answer: For this question, students should reflect on how they would use the RACE (research, analysis, communication, evaluation) formula in practice. Students should use the RACE formula to guide their thinking before starting a PR campaign or drafting a communications plan. For example, they might start with informal research by searching the web, or talking to friends and family and then conduct more formal research with a survey. Once they have this research, they should define the target audience, and decide on objectives and key messages. All this information would be put into a communications plan that would then be implemented. There should also be a plan to evaluate the campaign after it is executed.

  9. Page 9
    Read page 9 as text

    6 2. Describe the ways in which PR is different than advertising. Answer: In this question, students are asked to reflect on how PR and advertising are different. The objective in advertising is typically to sell products or services to customers, whereas in PR the objective is to build relationships and communicate with stakeholders. In PR, the concentration is on earned media, which is also called media coverage. In advertising, the concentration is on paid coverage or advertisements. CHAPTER SOLUTIONS Understanding Public Relations: Thinking Like a PR Practitioner (page 8) 1. What is public relations? How would you interpret the definitions provided? Answer: This question enables students to reflect on what they think PR is and forms the basis of all topics that will come later in the textbook. Many students get into PR without a true understanding of what the profession entails. It is important that they get a firm grip on what the profession involves because they will spend their entire careers explaining it to others. This gives students a chance not only to review their understanding of PR, but also to put this definition into their own words. 2. Explain what is meant by PR practitioners being a bridge between the organization and its publics. Answer: In this exercise students reflect on one of the key roles that PR practitioners play. They are the interpreters between the public and the organization. They find out and analyze what the public is thinking and saying about the organization, and then communicate that information to their organizations. They, in turn, communicate to the public information that will be relevant to them from the organization. They provide value to both sides and help them forge and maintain a relationship. 3. There are several misconceptions surrounding PR. Analyze three of them. Investigate whether there are any additional misconceptions not discussed in the textbook by asking five individuals outside your class what they think PR is. Compare the answers in class. Answer: It is important for students to dispel the misconceptions surrounding PR both to the public and to themselves. Some of the misconceptions include PR practitioners acting only as glamorous party planners like those portrayed in popular TV programs, PR practitioners lying on behalf of their organizations or bending the truth, and PR practitioners acting as spin doctors. Asking other individuals what they think of PR will further emphasize the misconceptions and help students uncover others. Again, this is important as they will constantly be explaining the profession to others during their careers, as well as educating the public about the true role of PR.

  10. Page 10
    Read page 10 as text

    7 4. Compare earned media and paid media. Answer: This question enables students to think about the differences between marketing and public relations. Earned media is media coverage and is a function of public relations. It is generated through media relations. The PR practitioner does not buy the media space but earns it. Paid media is a function of marketing and most often advertising. The media space is paid for or bought. Strategic Thinking and The PR Process: Thinking Like a PR Practitioner (page 14) 1. Explain the RACE formula and what benefits it provides PR practitioners who follow it. Answer: The RACE formula stands for: Research Analysis Communication Evaluation The RACE formula is a communications process that has been developed to help practitioners approach a campaign in a methodological and strategic way. It enables practitioners to strategically plan and implement a campaign by breaking it down into distinctive steps. The most important asset that PR practitioners bring to the table is their ability to apply strategic thinking to a business problem or need. 2. Visit the website for game maker Electronic Arts, www.ea.com , and determine which audiences the organization is targeting based on the website. Provide as many details on these target audiences as possible. Answer: Students will get an opportunity to look at a document such as the EA website and figure out the target audiences of the organization. By looking at the content, text, and images, students can analyze whom the website targets. We know that EA appeals to gamers, but what else can we say? Are they men or women? What ages? And so on. 3. Cite five objectives that can be met with public relations. Answer: We can never overemphasize the importance of having clear objectives in place—of knowing what you want to achieve—before embarking on a campaign. Objectives can include the following: • Raising the profile of the organization with its target audiences • Raising awareness of products and services • Educating the public about an important issue • Building relationships and engaging target audiences • Helping pass laws and regulations • Attracting new clients

  11. Page 11
    Read page 11 as text

    8 • Attracting investors • Raising funds and donations for nonprofits and charitable organizations • Attracting and retaining employees • Recruiting volunteers, leads, and contacts • Building a strong and trustworthy relationship with the community • Combatting rumours • Navigating an issue or a crisis such as a product recall or a strike A Typical Day in PR: Thinking Like a PR Practitioner (page 17) 1. Appraise five tasks that a PR practitioner performs in a typical day. Which seem most challenging? Which seem most interesting? Answer: With this question we want to provide students with a chance to think about what it would be like to work in PR and the kind of tasks that they will have to do. We also want them to realize how challenging the profession can be. A typical day can involve the following tasks: • Writing media information materials (writing and media relations) • Chairing a meeting (project management) • Answering a journalist’s questions (media relations) • Training a spokesperson to conduct an interview (media training) • Crafting a PR strategy for the launch of a new product or service (drafting a PR plan) • Organizing a trade show booth (special events management) • Representing your organization at a community event (community relations) • Writing a proposal (new business acquisition) • Managing a breaking issue (issues and crisis management) • Emailing information to a blogger (social media relations) • Updating the organization’s website and Facebook group (social media relations) • Drafting and sending a letter to an MLA (government relations) • Writing a company employee newsletter (internal communications) 2. Identify three PR practitioners in your community. What industries do they work in? What are their positions? Discuss your findings with the class. Answer: This question provides students with an opportunity to look at the PR profession in their own community; the different industries that PR practitioners work in, from non-profit to high tech, government to PR agency; and the positions, from entry level to senior. This again will give them a chance to think about what a career in PR might look like. 3. Break down all the steps a PR practitioner would take in developing an employee newsletter.

  12. Page 12
    Read page 12 as text

    9 Answer: Students can explore the details that go into PR tactics by looking at each step in creating a newsletter. This will enable them to realize just how many details go into accomplishing any task. Writing an employee newsletter can include the following steps: • Developing key messages • Conducting research about what topics are of interest to employees • Determining the objectives of the newsletter (e.g., informing employees, building moral, fostering loyalty) • Deciding on editorial content • Collecting information such as interviewing employees • Writing the first draft • Editing articles • Taking or sourcing photos • Designing the newsletter • Getting the sign-off from supervisors • Distributing it to employees either in print or digitally • Collecting employee feedback to improve the next edition 4. Describe which roles and industries are most interesting to you. What is your dream job? Answer: With this question students can explore their own preferences and those of their peers and the career opportunities available in PR. Already at this stage some students have specific ideas. Some may be interested in agency work, while others may be attracted to non-profits. Ethics and the Law: Guiding Principles of Public Relations: Thinking Like a PR Practitioner (page 26) 1. Cite three things that PR practitioners can do to ensure that their PR work is ethical. Answer: Here we look at the importance of ethics and how PR practitioners are empowered to decide whether they will act ethically. Ways to ensure that PR work is ethical include • Following the codes of professional standards developed by professional associations such as CPRS • Always telling the truth • Refusing the act unethically even if asked to do so by an employer or client • Working for an organization in which they believe and which contributes positively to society 2. Are there any industries in which you would not work because they are against your personal ethics?

  13. Page 13
    Read page 13 as text

    10 Answer: Here again students can explore possibilities surrounding a future career in PR, focusing this time on what they believe are ethical industries and organizations. They can also look at whether there are lines they are unwilling to cross, and organizations or industries that they would not work in. For example, some PR practitioners will not work for any organizations involved in gambling or tobacco production and sales. 3. Cite a reason why PR practitioners need to know some of the areas of the law that can affect their practice. Answer: While PR practitioners are not expected to know the law inside out, they do need to have an idea of the areas of the law that affect PR. This will help them avoid legal pitfalls for themselves and their organizations. It can also help them avoid lawsuits. In addition, this knowledge will help them decide when they need to seek legal counsel. 4. Explain the law of defamation and how it relates to PR work. Answer: Defamation is a statement about an individual or organization that can damage their reputation and lower them in the esteem of others in the community. This law covers both printed statements (known as libel) and oral statements (known as slander). PR practitioners must pay careful attention to the information that they release, whether in writing or orally. They must be certain that what they write is true and comes from reputable sources. This includes media materials and all social media tools. Spokespersons must also be careful of the statements they make to the media or during public speeches. Public Relations and Evaluation: Thinking Like a PR Professional (page 29) 1. Explain the difference between ad value and PR value and describe how each is measured. Answer: Ad value tries to establish what it would have cost an organization to purchase the media it obtained from public relations. For example, if a quarter-page ad in the Moncton Free Press costs $250, then the value of a quarter-page article on an organization would be $250. Many in the industry believe that ad value is an inaccurate measure of the value of media coverage generated. This is because it does not take into account the increased credibility that a third-party endorsement, especially from a trusted journalist or celebrity, lends to an organization, or the better placement a news article has compared to an ad. With PR value, the ad value is multiplied by three in order to take into account the higher value of PR. Thus, the PR value of coverage from the Moncton Free Press would be $750 ($250 x 3). 2. Which metrics were used to measure the success of the Heart Truth campaign in the opening vignette? Answer: • Media impressions: Over 362 million from 1701 media stories

  14. Page 14
    Read page 14 as text

    11 • Awareness studies: Awareness has gone up dramatically with women over 35 years old, as measured by the independent research firm Harris/Decima. The firm conducted a survey before the campaign started which indicated that 33 per cent of women knew that heart disease was the number-one killer of women over 35. As of late March 2012, this number had risen to 59 per cent. Case Study: Early Psychosis Initiative (page 29) 1. What other tactics could be employed to reach this target audience? Answer: There are limitless ways to reach target audiences. Here students can have an opportunity to be strategic and creative by coming up with tactics that would appeal to the target audiences. Some ideas include • Social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter • Special events • Contests 2. How was success evaluated in this campaign? Name one other measurement tool that could have been used. Answer: Success was measured by evaluating the number of referrals to the program, as well as the number of new patients who were seen. Ad value and PR value could also have been used as a measurement tool because media relations were conducted. Awareness studies could have worked, as well—looking at the percentage of individuals in the target audience who had heard about psychosis and the program before the campaign began and after the campaign was concluded.

  15. Page 15
    Read page 15 as text

    1 Chapter 2 Influencing Public Opinion: The Foundation of PR Then and Now CHAPTER SYNOPSIS Chapter 2 examines public opinion, propaganda, attitudes and beliefs, influencers, and the factors of persuasion. It also outlines the history of PR in the United States and Canada. The chapter ends with a discussion of the public’s opinion on public relations and how that opinion was formed. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS CHAPTER 1. Explain public opinion and why it is important to the practice of public relations. 2. Describe the various tactics that influence public opinion and explain how they are used. 3. Outline the contributions to the profession of key people in public relations history. 4. Explain why the public’s perception of PR practitioners might be negative and what PR practitioners can do to counteract this view. CHAPTER OUTLINE 1. Public Opinion: What it is and How it is Shaped – Page 39 Public opinion is defined as a prevailing opinion or a popularly held belief. It can be challenging to change public opinion at any given moment but it does adapt over time. PR practitioners understand and appreciate what a powerful force public opinion is and how it is formed. They are employed by clients or organizations to influence it. 2. How PR Practitioners Work with Public Opinion – Page 42 PR practitioners work with public opinion in two different ways: they try and influence it or they use it to generate media coverage. A public relations plan outlines strategies and tactics in order to strengthen, influence, or change public opinion. In order to measure the campaign’s impact on public opinion, surveys or polls are typically taken at the beginning, during, and at the end of the campaign to see if opinion has shifted. In order to use public relations to garner media coverage, PR practitioners use interesting poll or survey results that can be tied to their organization or client and pitch them to the media. In this section, techniques for influencing public opinion are also examined. 3. The History of PR and the First Practitioners to Influence Public Opinion – Page 46 In this section, the history of PR in both the United States and Canada is explored. Reviewing this history helps us better understand the evolution of PR. Some components of the practice have changed and some are almost identical to the way PR was practised in the early days. This section also outlines the role women had on the profession’s history.

  16. Page 16
    Read page 16 as text

    2 4. The Public’s Opinion of Public Relations – Page 57 Unfortunately, practices such as propaganda, spin, and astroturfing have tarnished the public’s perception of public relations even though most practitioners act ethically and with integrity. These perceptions are compounded by the turbulent relationship the PR profession has with the media. It is up to all practitioners to help repair PR’s reputation through professional and reputable practices. Multiple Choice Questions 1. What is not a characteristic of public opinion? A) It is influenced by culture and religion B) It’s difficult to change C) It changes over time D) Only governments care about public opinion Answer: D (Page 39, Learning Objective #1) 2. What is an opinion leader A) Someone who others look to when forming an opinion B) Someone who is opinionated C) Someone who monitors the public’s opinion D) Someone who is hired to influence the public’s opinion Answer: A (Page 40, Learning Objective #1) 3. What are the three arguments Aristotle proposed for influencing others A) Reason, education, repetition B) Reason, ethics, emotion C) Repetition, reason, education D) Persuasion, education, rationale Answer: B (Page 43, Learning Objective #2) 4. In his book The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell identifies what types of influencers? A) Connectors, mavericks, and recommenders B) Connoisseurs, collectors, and soldiers C) Connectors, mavens, and salesmen D) Real estate agents, doctors, and lawyers Answer: C (Page 44, Learning Objective #2) 5. Which founding father of public relations is credited with inventing the modern day press release? A) Edward Bernays B) Ivy Lee C) Arthur Page D) George Ham Answer: B (Page 47, Learning Objective #3)

85 more pages in the full document

Unlock it once and it stays in your library, ready to chat with or turn into flashcards.

Unlock the full document

More Business Management study materials

See all

Study this document with CramX

Once it is in your library, every tool can work from it.